How Instagram changed the tourism industry
The social media platform's influencers and hashtags have changed vacation destinations - and not always for the best
Since Instagram launched in 2010, one phenomenon has played out time and time again: Following in the footsteps of influencers, tourists chase the perfect vacation picture, flooding places which were either much less-known, or certainly less popular than they are now.
Key takeaways
- Tourists have said in surveys that they are often encouraged to imitate Instagram photos, and certainly the platform plays an important role in their deciding for or against a particular destination;
- Expedia found that 50% of people under age 40 use social media as travel inspiration, preferring it to traditional outlets like TV shows or magazines;
- Many today no longer use search engines like Google to find information about where to go on holiday, but instead search via hashtags on Instagram.
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